~Sick Day~

One-shot. Second story. Please review it.

Disclaimer: I don't own bleach or characters.

Kurosaki Ichigo. A scowling, orange haired, hot tempered shinigami substitute. Do shinigami's ever get sick? Who knows? Sure they go to war, are dead souls, and battle monsters that are called hollows. But surely they don't get sick, do they?

Well one day, a shinigami did get sick. Well actually a shinigami substitute, namely Ichigo. He was very stubborn, yet that morning when his unfailing "dad" alarm clock sounded. He didn't even move. Usually at the sound of the door flying open, Ichigo would stand up and throw a few punches, then, throw that idiot of a father out the bedroom window. Today he was too tired to move at all.

"Oi! Ichigo! Wake up you are going to be late for school." The shinigami vice-captain, Rukia Kuchiki yelled into his ear. After much prodding, poking, and yelling later…..

"Alright, alright I'm awake you stupid midget!" Ichigo mumbled as he threw off his sheets and stood up shakily.

"I'm just petite you bakamono!" Rukia exclaimed while kicking Ichigo harshly in the shin. Ichigo just groaned and stumbled forward to the bathroom. That's when Rukia realized something was wrong about Ichigo. He didn't yell back an answer nor did he kick his dad in the face this morning. Then again when she prodded him awake he did look a little pale and there was a slight shadow under his eyes. His face did look a little flushed to her. That's when it hit her. Of course Ichigo was sick. Last night was a little harsh on him.

*Flashback*

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Rukia's phone went off.

"That's a hollow." Rukia muttered under her breath while sighing loudly. She threw open her closet door and began hissing loudly towards Ichigo. "Wake up baka, there's a hollow on the other side of Karakura. Hurry up and go into shinigami form."

"Ichigo groaned but obeyed as he pressed the wooden skull badge onto his chest, and he then popped out of his body with a huge zanpakto hanging from his back.

"Let's just finish this up quickly. I'm too tired to kill too many hollows. So let's just hurry up." Ichigo complained with a huff.

Humph! He's grouchy tonight, Rukia thought to herself. But he did look tired and he was pretty pale. I wonder.

"Ichigo. The hollows are over there!" Rukia yelled while pointing to a group of hollows gathered around a park. Ichigo quickly unsheathed his zanpakto and began to cut down on the hollows. Since there were so many hollows Rukia had to join in on this battle. She noticed Ichigo was slightly slower than usual and he was getting smacked around a lot. I wonder what's wrong with him. Rukia thought as she finished her side of the hollows. After a few more minutes Ichigo finished off the last hollow and had to lean on the giant cleaver-like sword.

"Let's go home." Ichigo said with a huff. Once they climbed through Ichigo's window, he popped back into his body, totally exhausted. After that Rukia could hear him tossing and turning all night.

*End of Flashback*

"Ichigo you should go back to bed. You are sick today. Ochi-Sensei would understand that you are sick and that's just something you can't control." Rukia explained with a bit of worry in her voice.

"I'm fine you annoying midget." He replied weakly. Even that, which probably was meant as a retort, was too weak sounding because of his voice. It was already becoming hoarse. Rukia silently slipped away as she made her way down stairs and told the crazy old man/doctor what she had learned. He nodded and walked up to his son's room. He found Ichigo leaning on the wall with his eyes closed. As if he was trying to keep the room from spinning in dizziness. Isshin immediately put his hand on Ichigo's forehead. It was burning hot and he seemed to be shivering.

"Leave me alone dad." Ichigo began as he continues to shiver.

"Ichigo you are sick. You need to stay home today. That isn't a suggestion; this is an order from, me as your father and doctor." Isshin ordered with so much authority Ichigo couldn't possibly deny it. So he stumbled to his bed and collapsed on it, in a heap. That was still shivering.

Isshin pulled the blanket over Ichigo while taking a thermometer out from a cabinet in Ichigo's room. He gave it to Ichigo just to make sure how high the fever actually was.

In the few minutes he had, he gave a call to Ichigo's school telling them that Ichigo was too sick to go to school today. When he hang up he heard a distant beep and he ran up the stairs to see the thermometer which said "38.4 degrees". The fever was starting to get dangerous. If it went any higher, he would need to go to the hospital. Isshin quickly grabbed a wet and cold towel to put on Ichigo's forehead. Then he grabbed a basin downstairs to fill it with cold water. He grabbed a few more towels and began to let them soak in the water. Then he changed Ichigo into some light clothing and then he noticed the shivering.

Meanwhile in Karakura High School….

Rukia was walking to classroom 3-A, when Kiego ran up to Rukia and then passed her. He was all the way down the hallway before he noticed that Ichigo should have clothes lined him by now so he stopped running and turned around looking confused.

"RUKIA-SAN! Where is Ichigo? Shouldn't he have come here with you?" Kiego asked with "love" in his voice.

"Yeah. Where is Ichigo, Rukia-San?" Tatsuke asked after Kiego. Then all of a sudden everyone who was close to Ichigo all asked the same exact question.

"Well, you see, he sort-of is sick today so he couldn't come."

"Oh no Kuchiki-San. Is he okay?" Inoue Orihime asked with worry in her voice. To anyone who didn't know, Inoue totally loved Ichigo with all her heart. She was sort-of addicted to him.

All Rukia did was shrug. Then the teacher came in and exclaimed, "Kurosaki is sick today so don't go asking where he is." Then Ochi-Sensei continued on with the rest of the day. Although Rukia looked like she was paying attention, all she could think about was Ichigo and if he was okay or not.

In the Kurosaki Household 3:15 p.m.….

Rukia slammed open the door and raced up the stairs to Ichigo's room. She carefully opened the door to see Ichigo sleeping in his bed with a wet cloth on his forehead and a basin of cold water next to the bed. There was a pitcher of cold water that must have been for Ichigo to drink if he needed it.

"Hey Rukia-San. You here to check up on him?" Isshin asked quietly so he won't wake up Ichigo.

"Yeah. How is he right now?" Rukia answered. Anxiously looking at Ichigo.

"He is much better than this morning. His fever has gone a little but it is still pretty high. He just fell asleep you know? That fever has really shaken him because I'm guessing it stared yesterday afternoon and you guys probably left in the middle of the night for hollows am I correct?" Isshin questioned Rukia with a raised eyebrow. She nodded in guilt for not realizing it sooner. "Well it got even worse after that and in the morning it lead to dizziness, headaches, coughing, pain, and a very high and a very strong fever. To be honest, if you hadn't found out in the morning, he probably would be in the hospital right now." Isshin continued.

Rukia guiltily looked at her feet for forcing Ichigo to kill the hollows, and not doing it herself. Maybe she shouldn't have teased him for not being strong or brave enough to fight some hollows at night.

*Flashback*

(Rukia's P.O.V.)

"I don't want to go damn it!" Ichigo muttered at me from his bed.

"Oh! So the great shinigami substitute is scared to fight a few measly hollows at night is he?"

I teasingly said as I prodded Ichigo from his bed.

"Fine! Have it your way midget!" Ichigo nearly yelled back. I was really surprised at his face since it was slightly paler than usual and he had bags under his eyes with a look of tiredness hidden by a scowl.

He then groaned but obeyed as he pressed the wooden skull badge onto his chest, and he then popped out of his body with a huge zanpakto hanging from his back.

*End of Flashback*

"I'm sorry. It's all might fault Ichigo is like this now. Really sick and if I didn't tell you this morning he, he probably would be in the hospital! I'm so sorry!" Rukia exclaimed very loudly causing Ichigo to wake up. He looked around with slightly blurry eyes but he could make out Rukia standing there at the door talking.

"Hey Rukia." Ichigo spoke for the first time today since the morning to her.

"Ichigo!" Rukia gasped as she ran to Ichigo's side. "I'm sorry for forcing you to kill those hollows. It's all my fault you here in your bed now not in school with everyone else. I was the one who kept you away from them. I'm sorry, Ichigo." She lowered her head and tears filled her eyes and fell down her cheeks. Ichigo reached up to her cheek and wiped away the tear weakly, before he replied.

"It's all right. There was no harm done. I mean it's just a simple flu. Okay? It's all right." Ichigo whispered into her ear while she cried. Making her stop and feel happiness.

*Epilogue*

"Ichigo and Rukia were going on their very first date." Inoue said. "I hope it goes all right."

To be honest, I didn't like the ending but I think it was decent at least. Please review it!